We thought this year’s Girls Scholarship Campaign was highly successful. More than doubling donations over the previous year is definitely a success.
How do the 460 scholarship students and their community see it? They are thrilled.
After the recent Bumpeh Chiefdom scholarship awards ceremony, “parents were singing and dancing with happiness because their girls can stay in school,” reported Rosaline Kaimbay, managing director of our local partner, The Center for Community Empowerment and Transformation – Sierra Leone.
And special guests repeatedly said they’ve never heard of a larger – or more complete – scholarship program anywhere in the country. Ibrahim Coker, left, area supervisor of schools for the Sierra Leone Ministry of Education said: “I’ve never seen such a number of scholarships together with a total package including uniforms, exercise books and solar study lights.”
With $US17,900 from Sherbro Foundation donors, CCET was able to provide 460 school fee scholarships to young women in four secondary schools. And this year, we added 310 uniforms for girls entering junior high and all 120 senior high students.
PLUS, for the first time, 100 students studying for 9th or 12th grade graduation exams received portable solar lights – never seen before – so they can study in Africa’s long dark evenings. AND, we started the first college scholarship.
“It’s very impressive. I’ve never seen any organization giving so many awards and paying for so many things,” said Alice Conteh Morgan, left, managing director of Reliance Insurance Risk Co. in Freetown. Conteh Morgan, a Rotifunk native, attended to encourage the girls: “With your educations, you can achieve everything.”
In comparison, Plan International, a large UK-based charity, awards fewer than 50 scholarships annually in Bumpeh Chiefdom for girls already enrolled in an older program. Most of our awardees don’t qualify. That’s why Sherbro Foundation’s work is so appreciated.
Scholarship money, like any school fee, goes into the schools’ operations and to make school improvements.
“CCET-SL has paid for all (160) girls in our school. We appreciate it so much. May god richly bless you and all the donors,” was the message from Daniel Koroma, vice principal of Bumpeh Academy Secondary School. The school immediately began applying scholarship funds to build classrooms, since many of its classes are held in partial structures with no walls.
The awards ceremony was covered by the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Co., the country’s only TV station and a regional radio station. Paramount Chief Charles Caulker said he continues to receive phone calls congratulating him on Bumpeh Chiefdom’s big news.
Likewise, Rosaline Kaimbay’s phone kept ringing. “It made me so proud to hear from friends around the country saying they saw news of our impressive program.” Above, she presents an Ahmadiyya Islamic school student with her uniform, exercise books and solar study light, together with school principal Mr. Tarawallie.
Sherbro Foundation 